What Is Life?
by MassHunter
Summary: A guy who is, and not. witness the man who brought all of humanity to its knees. this is the story of cheese.
1. Chapter 1: What Is Life?

What is life? Is it the chance to do as you please? The chance to love? The chance to kill? For me it's all of these. I am cheese. Well that's what they used to call me before they all died. I was left all alone in this world I made. This world that I devoured… though I regret nothing. This is what I always wanted… and 'they' made it all possible. That's why I thank them. But now I, have to kill them…

It all started as a normal day. The alarms were ringing in my face as I slammed my head into the too low ceiling. The room flooded with shouts of adrenalin and flashing red lights. Kinda like a terrible rave. It was another Zerg attack. Lately they've been sending nothing but lings. Easy pickings 'long we didn't run outa ammo. But all good things come to an end. This time there were a group of ultralisk. Thank god I wasn't on the front lines. The siege tanks let out their earthly law on them as they, and everything around there targets, burst into explosive fires. Thank god for CMC armor sound proofing els I'd die of migraines.

"John! Lock and load! We're going to support them! We have an evac on the way so all's we gatta do is hold 'em off a while got that?" this is my commanding officer, asskiss. Well that's what we call him behind his back. His real name is general. Hoof. Weird right? "I said did you get that!"

"Yes Sir!" I said giving a half ass salute. He didn't care though, all he cared about right now was the fact that there were a crap load of lings swarming in at us. Course this wasn't a problem for us. We had huge ass auto cannons for primary weaponry. We both got the good idea after ripping the things of an old war walker. We later had our suits upgraded so they could let us carry the heavy guns with comfort. The zerglings fell by the dozens as we let the auto cannons rip through their carapace with a gruesome splatter of zerg tissues all over the asphalt. Then came the wraiths.

They streamed through the air as if they were weightless. Shooting beams of pure energy at the ultralisk. After about a half an hour of battle cries, bloodshed, and death the offensive attack was over. And that's when the medvacs came. In all their Wight glory as the angels of war. Of course no one trusted them though, as they could vaporize you in milliseconds with their laser scalpels. So whenever they came they were treated like angels. Till some noob tried somtin on them. Ever hear of that song staby rip stab stab? Well it was based off of his tale. Poor Joe. Never knew what he was getting himself into.

"Can I help you?" an angelic voice rang through the speakers of my transmitter. But then I went to hell when I saw who it was.

"Marry. Why are YOU here?" marry was my younger sister. I'll never forget what she did to me the last time she tried to heal me.

"What? Little sis not good enough to heal her sweet, kind, older brother?"

"Not unless she wants something. What is it now?" By now I was turned around. She used to have short brown hair. Now it's a slightly longer pink hair. In her armor she was about a foot under me. Really I'm only 4 inches taller. It's just that my armors way bigger. "And why'd you die your hair pink?"

"Because I wanted too, and plus, I actually want a favor. Can you beat the crap out of tom? He's been stalking me for a while now and he's scaring me now." Tom was once my best friend in high school. He and my sister started dating towards the end of senior year. We used to call him 'double t' cause he would right his name TTom. We both enlisted and almost immediately got shoved into a zerg attack. We saw so many die that day. Tom was never the same. We went our separate ways after that. Never heard of him till now actually.

"K. haven't seen him in awhile. So where is the bagger?" I say looking around.

"Well what time is it?

"4:23"

"Then he's probably trying to break into my room by now. So will you do it? I mean you two were close once." Holy shit, is that sincerity for me or tom? Either way, it's mad rare, better milk it for all it's worth.

"Maybe. First I'll talk to him and we'll see where that leads." I say this as cool as I can. I get the straight face calm body and I even through in a hand on the shoulder for comfort as I walked past her. I get 5 feet then I remember something. 'Wrong way'. I think to myself. Luckily I see an officer so I just walk up to him casually, put an armored hand on his shoulder. Then I get the cuffs and walk by my sister again. She's still sincere. My win.

"Hey! Double T? You here?" I've reached Marry's room and I found the door open. Figured might as well take a look. "Tom? I know you're here somewhere."

"GET AWAY! SHES MINE!" Tom yelled as he jump into a steel wall, I mean me. I obviously had the advantage here since I was in armor and he was in normal clothing. "SHES ALL MINE! NOT YOURS!" the little man screamed as I picked him up of the ground with one arm. He seemed to cower in his own clothes as he was so skinny. Shredded, and really dirty. This wasn't the tom I knew. It was just another casualty of war. A man who lost himself and clings to the things he used to have. Like Marry.

"Tom. I'm sorry but you'll have to let go of marry or-"

"NEVER! SHES ALL I HAVE IN THIS WOR-"I punched him in the gut.

"SHUT UP!" This seemed to make him cower in his own skin. "Tom… Double T man. This has to stop. I don't want you to end up this way. So quit stalkin my sis els I'll kill ya. Got that?" I say as I let the small man down.

"Big J?" Tom said as he stood to full height. Even without a suit, he was only about 4-6 inches shorter. "Is that you?" by now he was crying but I don't think he noticed. It's something we marines usually have where we cry and not even know it.

"Ya. It's me" I was called Big J in school. Never knew it stuck. After that I think something snapped in me. "And ya know what" I said moving closer to Tom.

"W-what?" Tom replied backing into a wall.

"I never really liked that name. So… I'll bestow punishment on your tainted flesh as I relieve you of your earthly duties." I said this grabbing onto Toms neck, stopping any kind of scream. Then with my free hand I grabbed his head, covering most of it. Enough of it to slam my mechanically advanced power shut and smashing his head into bloody chunks. I had no idea what I was doing. I blanked out around 'ya it's me'. When I came to I was still holding what was left of Toms head. I was sure I was crying but couldn't really tell. I didn't feel anything.

"Tom…" a scared whisper fell behind me. Marry saw the entire thing. Now I felt something. I felt guilt. My sister was all that I had left in the entire universe. And now she feared me. I've turned around and what seemed to be slow motion. She turned and ran. I wanted to chase after her but I couldn't. My body wouldn't move. Turns out my suit locked up at the fact that I killed a civilian. 10 minutes later, a couple other marines walked in and grabbed my lock up body. They had to bash the rest of Toms head off in order to get him out of my clenched fist. I was then put into a jail. No suit, no light, no nothing. In the next few months I had nothing but myself, and one thought. Is this my life?


	2. Chapter 2: Breakout, E, and me

Throughout my days in prison, I had nothing. I was always alone yet someone was still there. Right beside me. I just thought I was starting to go crazy. Till I started having these dreams. I would just be floating in nothingness. My eyes were closed but somehow… somehow I could see everything. It was like the world was just a hair away from me. Everything yet nothing. Then I heard voices. These voices that rang out in my head. They told me things. Things a mortal should never know. Then I realized something while awake. My body was changing in away. I was stronger. I could feel something flowing through me. I started sleeping more just to hear these voices. I never truly comprehended what they were telling me, but I just knew it. I am one. I am all. These are things I learned from the voices. But soon I had no choice. If I were to learn more I would have to get out of this prison. It's all I can do.

The next day I was waiting for my opening. I was planning the hole thing. Wasn't very complicated. But first I had to wait for meal time.

"Convict 12773. Meal time." I heard lasers powering down. Then that small try hole open. This was my time. In a split second I was at a run, then sprint, denting my steel bed then bashing through the 6 inch steel door. In a burst of power I killed the guard by punching him through the chest. Instantly killing him. Then in 3 seconds I snapped the neck of the second guard. By 7 seconds the third and final guard had his gun pointed at me. But that's all he could do as I leapt at him with my fist. He shot once into my shoulder. I felt nothing. No standing there in the light I realized I changed more than I thought. I was a little bigger than before, and my fist was fuller. Like my knuckles came out more. Almost pointed. I looked at my shoulder wound and found it to not hurt at all. But I was still bleeding.

I was frightened at first but as I walked around looking for the medic room, I began to like my new self. More powerful, faster, bigger, and I even felt smarter. Then I remembered another thing the voices told me. I'm there most perfect creation. I wonder what that meant. I soon found myself in the medic room patching my shoulder. By now I guessed that my sister went on leave. So far I've killed 7 guards and 4 medics. My power is amazing. Only 1 wound. If I'm able to become stronger, I want to. This power seems to have its not hungry at all and I skipped breakfast. I started to walk out when I felt a barrel press against my fore head. I didn't see anyone which meant one thing. "Ghost" I say with a slight tinge in my voice.

"Damn right and your getting back in that cell." The barrel pushed harder against my head. "And plus… you feel weird. What are you?"

"If you find the answer, tell me."I say walking forward. The barrel still pressed firmly against my head. I knew where she was. Not out of sight, but a feeling that I had. Like when I'm dreaming. Only a hair away. "Are you blind?"

"What? How'd you know? I'm cloaked." She stumbled as she didn't see the dead guard.

"Just a feeling. Plus you 'felt' me instead of saying you see me. Just clues I put together." I knew that I could kill her but I was bored so I decided that I'll play with her instead.

"Hmmm. I see."

"Says the blind woman." I laugh.

"Shut up. Besides. You could kill me at any time couldn't you?" I could feel her stopping as I walked on.

"Ya, but I'll let you live for now. Who knows maybe we'll see each other in the near future. I'll kill you then." I wave good bye as I walk down the corridor. But something told me to stop. I turned around. She had put her cloak out and was just standing there. She had long brown hair, with big blue eyes. No one was really light blue the other light green. Obviously blind. But still… they drew me in like a trance. If I met her before my transformation id give her a 10/10. I had to know her name. "What…what is your name?"

"Me? I'm…not sure. I lost my memories years ago. Everyone just calls me 'E'. I'm not sure why though." She seemed unsure of telling me. Maybe it was because I was a murderer. Maybe it's because I'm a monster. All I know is that she had something. And I plan to let that 'something' grow. "What's your name?" she suddenly asks.

"…John. Nice to meet ya." I say continuing my walk. There was definitely something there. I leave the corridor into another corridor.

"John…"

"FINALY!" I shout as I find my way out of the prison. Only to see that I disturbed a group of marines. And fortunate for me they had a freaking marauder with them. "Damn" I barely get to finish what I'm saying as I get engulfed in a concussive cloud of pain. As I stumbled back ward from the grenade the marines crack up laughing.

"Man Joe! Little trigger happy are ya?" then he went on laughing again with all the other marines. Until they realized Joe was dead. I was able to regain my composer while they laughed and I just ran right up to the heavy armor marauder and jabbed my fist right through it, and Joes head. Instant death. Unfortunately me hand was stuck. And when the marines noticed something weird about a big yet skinny guy with scaly skin and a fist stuck inside a heavy armor suit, they began open firing on me. Of course a couple hit me, but the rest was blocked but the marauders armor. I had spun around with the thing still on my fist. "You fucking monster! I'll kill you!" then I heard a stimpack and something jumped on the armor tackling it back with me. I quickly slammed my foot next to the hole, that I made with my fist, ripping my hand out and sending the armor + marine into the other marines.

After that I ran into an ally nest to a supply depot. I was able to hide behind the depo. I wanted to kill them, but since they caught me by surprise I had to hid. Not only did the wound in my shoulder open again, but there were new ones as well. One in my right side, one in my bicep of my right arm and one in my legs. Not only that but I had a gaping wound on my chest from that grenade with burn marks al around it. Without my new found regeneration abilities, I'd be dead. Of course all they did was close the wounds after forcing anything that wasn't supposed to be in my body out. Like bullets, metal fragments. The works. I was still in pain though. After an attack like that, who wouldn't be?

"John" there was a voice. Or should I say voices. It sounded like 10 or 12 people speaking at once. It gave me a serious migraine. "Can you hear us?"

"Who are you?" I snapped back in a whispering yell, so that none would hear me. "Why can I only hear you in my head?"

"John. We're having trouble keeping this connection. We need you on the planet Vegetus. We can't hear you so we'll just have to trust that you'll do as your told. We really need your help so hurry up. CRAP! NOT NO-!" It went dead silent.

'Crap. Now I have some strange dude, or dudes, trying to get me to help them.' Sigh 'Guess I have no choice. Something is calling me there. Not those voices… but a feeling. A feeling that I know from my metamorphosis in the jail. It's the feeling that I can get more power. Maybe I can get there with a dropship, or a wraith.'

"Umm, excuse me?"

"HOLY SHIT!" After that my hand shot up to my mouth that I slammed my head into the supply depo. Then she laughed at me. Wait, She? "E?"

"Yep, it's me. So I hear your going to Vegetus? Can I come?" Now she had her gun slung and in more casual clothing. She was actually kinda hot. Nice cup size. Not too big, not too small. Nice curved hips. And not a blemish anywhere. How a blind chick stay so hot I don't know. By now she was blushing. Why? "Because I'm telepathic remember?" she was holding her hand out but didn't look at me. This kinda made me blush.

"Oops. Oh well. But your not coming."

"Why not? I wanna go with you to Vegetus." now she looked upset. Like she truly wanted to go.

"Too bad. This is my mission. If you get involved I won't be responsible. And besides, if you run away with me, you'd be considered a deserter and could no longer go back."

"Go back? To what? I have nothing in this life. No freedom, no friends, no anything. It'd be better to just die." Now something snapped in me again. It was the same feeling as before. I couldn't control myself.

"Then let me be the one to release the bird inside the cage. I shall tear your earthly bounds, flesh by flesh!" by now I was turned around. She was taking steps backward as I made my approach. I didn't want to hurt her. I wanted to let her live. But I couldn't stop myself. Thank god a marine was doing his patrols when he did and started to shoot at me when he saw me. But it was no use. My skin was too hard now. I've adapted to the bullets. All they did was ping off my flesh in different directions. Then one bounced off into a shoulder. E's shoulder. Now there was a new feeling. Not one of flesh hunger. But one of anger. Bloodthirsty anger. As soon as it hit her I regained some control. I was able to direct myself. So I focused on the marine and nothing but. It seemed to work too. I had started a slow walk to him. He was still shooting at me. Then I sent nightmarish images to my head. All of the marine being slaughtered. My body seemed to respond. Then I took action. "Now I shall tear the flesh from your bone. I shell tear your very soul apart. Then I shall devour you. I will become your gate to hell!" I charged him. Faster than I thought possible. I scared myself. Then I heard something. Something truly frightening. 'So, how shall we do this John heh heh…?'


	3. Chapter 3: E and me meet Dex

"Who are you!" I was actually afraid now. Voices in my head again? And this one was different. It was like I knew him from somewhere. It was like a somewhat raspy deep voice. And it had a slight echo tinge to it. And it sent chills down my mind.

'John, that hurts you know. Hold on just let me liberate this mortals flesh from his soul.' And at that he punched the marine so hard that his, mine, whoever's fist this was went right through his armor. Even went out the back. It was an instant kill. But this thing inside me wasn't done yet. He went about of ripping the marine limb from limb. Until there was only the head and torso. Then he did something really horrible. He turned to E. now he took my voice but with a little ting of anger in it. Even though he felt calm. "If you think that you are worthy enough to follow my path. Then rip his throat from his torso, while staring at his eyes. And if you think that's not that bad because your blind, then check this out." Now I felt a blur of emotions, but the one that stood out the most was a feeling I didn't know. It rushed out of me into 'him' and now he was holding up a hand. Then my vision left me for a minute. Then I could see again. But it wasn't through my own eyes. I was staring at myself. I was looking through E's eyes. It was weird. And I felt something. I think that I was nostalgic. "There now you can see again. But only for a short time.

"John. Is that really you? It's like I can feel you in two different places. One is right beside me. And the other is you. But I know that you're the fake. Who are you?" the other me seemed to be shocked at how she figured that out. But quickly regained his composer.

'Interesting John. You have a very unique friend here.' GET OUT OF MY HEAD AND LEAVE E ALOAN! I shouted back with my mind. But it didn't work. 'No. I will not. But I don't have much time left so don't worry.'

"You're a very smart girl, aren't you? But my offer still stands. Rip his throat out and stare at his eyes at the same time and your free to come with us. Maybe I'll even reveal some of your lost memories." This got Es attention.

"m-my memories…" NO E! DON'T! IT'S NOT WORTH IT! But she couldn't hear me. She walked forward. Every step she took, I knew it was a step towards eternal pain for her. Now she was standing in front of the limbless marine. She knelt down and stared at the eyes. They seemed to have life still in them. And they were obviously terrified to death of what other me did. But it was also obvious that he was dead. Now she went for the throat, but she stopped right in front of it. There was a locket. She opened it up and sees a beautiful woman, and a strong looking young man. I could only think his wife and kid. Then E was holding the locket to her chest, crying. I was also sad. Then I felt a pulling feeling. My vision left me again and a minute later I found myself in my old body again. But now I was in control. The thing inside me went to sleep but left a message. 'If you let her come, she is bound to die. But not by my hands…' this worried me. If there was something that would kill her I knew that I had to stop it. And I would.

"John?"

"Ya, I'm back." And at this she hugged me. I didn't know what els to do, so I hugged her back. We sat there, embraced in each other's warmth. Then I had no choice. "You… you can't come."

"If you think that I'm not ready I understand. But please, rethink this. Let me come. Like the other you said. Free this bird that has been kept in a cage all her life." I didn't know what to say. If she came, she might die. If I left her, she will suffer. I suppose that it wouldn't be too bad to let her come. But what if I change again and I won't be able to protect her.

"I don't know… I might change again and I don't want to hurt you." I stood up bringing her with me, then we let go.

"It's ok. Really. I'm a tuff girl. Just please let me come." I couldn't decide on what to do. So I let my instinct help me out. I ran. I just ran and ran and ran as far and fast as I could. I could hear E calling me to come back, but I didn't want to. I was afraid. What if I killed her? Then what? "Damn it!" I was feeling angry now. So to let loose my anger I punched a boulder that was in my path, smashing it to bits. I didn't feel any better, and my fist had to agree. As my fist healed itself I decided to try and calm down. In doing so I fell asleep. Long day…

I woke up several hours later finding myself surrounded by a small blanket. So small that my legs from the knee down were bare. At this I took off the blanket to get a better look at myself. I was in some torn up jeans that were really tight on me now do to the huge growth spurt. I was bare chest and I had a belt too. The link snapped off awhile ago though. 'Hey John, how's it going?'

"Damn it. What do you want… what's your name?" I just realized that I don't know this things name.

'Youre killing me John.' I could feel him laughing at his own pleasure. 'My name is…John! How ya like that! Although I would prefer a new name if you would.'

"Like hell I'm gunna name you."

'Aww why not? I'd like a new name. I hate yours.'

"Shut up! Besides who said that you had to have my name?"

'Good point. Just figured that since we had the same body, we had the same name too. How bout… The Overmind! Hahahaha! Now that's a name fit for me!'

"And whys that?" I was getting worried. If he became the Overmind. Doesn't that mean that I would too?

'Well, because I'm incredibly powerful. That's why.'

"Well I don't like it. Your names Dex."

'Why Dex?'

"Because you remind me of death"

'A fine name then. It will strike fear into the hearts of men.'

"What ever. Just let me sleep."

'Fine. Good night prince.'

"What?"

'Nothing.' And at that I fell asleep. So many questions. Who is Dex? Where did this blanket come from? Should I bring E with me to Vegetus? I just don't know what to do. And am I destined to hurt those around me? Guess that I'll have to wait for morning. Too tired. And hungry.


End file.
